Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-05-03
THE LATE DIR. ]. G. HOLLANDS
OPINION.
A Physician Climbing tho Editor
ial Stairs.

The columns of tho newspapers APP
pear to be flooded with proprietary
medicine advertisements. AS we cast
our eye over them, it brings to mind
an article that was published by the
late DIR. Holland in ScriiRer's Month
H. lie says: Nevertheless, 1t is q
fact that many of the best proprietary
medicines of the day were more sue
cessful than many physicians, and
most of them, il should beremember-
ed, were at first discovered or used in
actual medical practice. When, how
ever, any shrewd person, knowing
their virtue, aud foreseeing their
popularity, secures and advertises
them, then, in the opinion Of the big
oted, all virtue went out of them."
Is not this absurdp This great
man appreciated the real merits of
popular remedies, and the absurdiiy
Of those that derided them because
public attention was called to the ar
ticle aud the evidence of their cures.
IL the most noted physician should
announce that he had made study
Of any certain organ ordisease of the
body, or make his sign larger than
the code size, though he may have
practised medicine and been a leader
in all medical counsels, notwiihstand-
ing all this, If he should presume to
advertise and decline to give his dis
covery TO the public, he would be
pronounced a quack and a humbug,
although a he may have spent his en-
tire life and all his available funds in
perfectlng his Investigations. Again
we say, "absurd.p
II an ulcer is found upon ones arm
and is cured by some dear soul of a
grandmother, outside of the code, il
will be pronounced by the medical
profession an ulcer of little iInpor-
lance. But if treated under the code,
causing sleepless nights for a month,
with the scientific treatment, viz +,
plasters, washes, dosing with NOR
phine, arsenic and other vile snbstan-
ces, given TO prevent blood poisoning
or deaden pain, and yet the ulcer be-
Gomez malignant, aud amputation is
made necessary at last, 10 save life.
YET all done according TO the "isms'
of the medical code. this is much
more gratifying to the medical pro-
fession, aud adds more dignity to that
distinguished order thanrto be cured
by the dear old grandmother's reme-
dy.
This appears like a severe arraign-
ment, yet we believe that 1t expresses
the true standing OF the medical pro-
fession in regard TO remedies dis
covered outside oftheir special ''isms." I"
One Of the most perplexing things of
the day Is the popularity of certain
remedies, especially Warmers safe
cure, which wo find for sale every
where. The physician Of the highest
standing is ready TO concede its merits
and sustain the theories, the proprie-
tors have made--that Is, that IL bene-
fits in most of the ailments ofthe hui
man system because is assists In put
ting the kidneys in proper condition,
thereby aiding in throwing Off the
Impurities of the blood, while others
with less honesty and experience de-
ride. and are willing to see their pa
tient die scientifically, and according
to the code, rather than have him
cured by this great remedy. Yet we
notice that the popularity Of the med
icine continues TO grow year by year.
The discoverer comes boldly before
the people with its merits, and pro-
claims them from door to doorin our
opinion much more honorably than
the physician who, pcrcbance, may
secure patient from some, caiastro-
phe, and is permitted TO set bone of
an arm or finger, which he does
with great dignity, yet very soon af-
ter takes the liberty to climb the edi-
tors back stairs at 2 o'clock in the
morning TO have 1t announced In the
morning paper that "Dr. So-and-so
was in attendance" and thus secures
for his benefit beautiful and free
advertisement. We shall leave IL to
our readers to say which Is the wisest
and most honorable.